1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to technology for playing back a moving picture at a plurality of playback speeds.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of imaging devices such as digital cameras and digital video cameras, there is a known technique that allows images to be captured at different frame rates. With a typical moving picture, the playback frame rate during playback is the same as the recording frame rate during imaging, and the movement of the subject during playback is substantially the same as the movement of the subject during imaging (normal speed playback). In contrast, a moving picture captured at a recording frame rate higher than the recording frame rate of the typical moving picture is played back at the same playback frame rate as the playback frame rate of the typical moving picture, which results in the moving picture that is slower than normal speed playback (slow playback). Imaging at a higher recording frame rate is useful in imaging a subject with fast movements, and allows analysis of the subject's movements that cannot be perceived with the naked eye.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-221999 discloses a technique for changing the playback speed of a moving picture by operating an operation member during playback of a moving picture captured at a high frame rate.
However, when the user changes the playback speed by operating an operation member during playback of a moving picture as with the technique in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-221999, there is the possibility that the scene desired by the user may not necessarily be played back. Specifically, particularly when a moving picture being played back at normal speed is changed to slow playback, there is the possibility that playback of the scene desired by the user will have already ended by the time the processing involved in changing the playback speed is completed after the user operates the operation member.